Carlo Tosi - Caramea

Carlo Tosi the master of mouth-blown glass.
Also known as Caramea , (candy in Venetian dialect) - was born in 1929 in Murano. He started as an apprentice at the early age of 9 at Nason Glassworks and in 1943 he was the most important artist in the glassblowers team.

In 1946 he started working in one of the most important furnaces on Murano and worldwide: Barovier & Toso . At the age of sixteen, only three months after being hired by Barovier & Toso, he was promoted and became Junior Master.

At the age of 20, in 1949 he asked Ercole Barovier - on obtained - the position of first glassmaker master ( maestro ).

For 32 years, Carlo Tosi worked at Barovier & Toso and during this long career he's collaborated with several artists and designers such as Francis Pelzer, Livio Seguso, Ercole Barovier, Ettore Sottsass . With artists such as Umberto Mastroianni and Fulvio Bianconi , he has also worked for Venini .

Carlo Tosi was not only a glassmaster, he's also been a teacher and has trained many of the best glassblowers: Davide Fuin, Sergio Tiozzo, Bertino Geremia, Marino Santi, Roberto Finotto among the most important ones.

For each one of them, working aside Caramea and learning from him has been an honour and a privilege.

In 1980 he founded his own Vetreria "Tosi Vetri d'Arte".

His works are shown at the Corning Museum in New York, along with a video of the maestro while working.

The lightness of design and perfection that characterize each of his artworks, have made Carlo Tosi an artist known all around the world.

After a career so intense, an Italian newspaper has asked him which has been the most satisfying experience: " When the Queen of Sweden arrived on a visit to Murano, she wanted to see me at work. Moreover, the Corning Museum in New York has exposed one of my pieces, along with a video of me while I work. Many Americans have learned the basics of glass making with this video ."

One last anecdote: answering a question about his nickname "caramea" (candy), Mr Tosi has replied: " Because I am a very sweet guy. "